Ferrari – My Life at Speedhttp://mylifeatspeed.com
The lifestyle associated with going fast is one filled with high energy characters, risk takers, and lots of great stories.Thu, 07 Sep 2017 17:20:21 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.2Be the King of Formula One with F1 2016http://mylifeatspeed.com/be-the-king-of-formula-one-with-f1-2016/
Thu, 15 Sep 2016 23:54:04 +0000http://mylifeatspeed.com/?p=52702Codemasters’ newest driving game is out and it’s a surefire winner. F1 2016, the official videogame of the 2016 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™ is a complete gaming experience for fans. We can enjoy a race weekend complete with NBC Sports’ styled video intros and track previews. Climb into motorsports’ most coveted seats and tear […]

]]>Codemasters’ newest driving game is out and it’s a surefire winner. F1 2016, the official videogame of the 2016 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™ is a complete gaming experience for fans. We can enjoy a race weekend complete with NBC Sports’ styled video intros and track previews. Climb into motorsports’ most coveted seats and tear along international race tracks from the comfort of home.

Quick Race is a pretty good way to figuratively kick the tyres, and learn circuits. There’s no tutorial mode so setting AI difficulty to “Very Easy” whenever possible might not be a bad idea. Beyond single grand prix, players can delve into Career or Pro Career (elite driving proficiency only) which allow for character creation. RPG enthusiasts’ ears may have just perked up but it’s pretty basic. We spent more time on Joe Tanto’s helmet colour than picking his face from a selection of twenty dudes. (Women drivers? LOL)

Your avatar gets an agent named Emma Jenkins in addition to a laptop with stats and tutorials. Not unlike Codemasters’ masterpiece, Dirt Rally, lessons teach concepts as opposed to press this button to do this or that. Speaking of which, the game directed us to http://f12016help.codemasters.com/ for controls. We tend to take things like that for granted so its absence was puzzling but not a deal breaker. Interacting with fully rendered team members is great immersion whether we finesse your way to the top or flounder about in loserville. There’s nothing wrong with a “pure” racing game but these touches make for a complete experience which is one of the reasons we love gaming.

Principal Games Designer, Lee Mather said, “We strive to create a game that is as close to the actual sport as possible. We have listened to the feedback from our community and that has resulted in us introducing the Safety Car, Virtual Safety Car, Formation Lap, manual race starts and the host of other gameplay features that get us even closer to the real sport and add to the experience for the player.”

Another reason we love gaming is beating the pants off friends and strangers. (EZ PZ! Git gud or get rekt, son! #TDP5GUD) We’re kidding. My Life at Speed does not advocate chat harassment in any way, shape or form. (Don’t be a d-bag and GLHF) However, playing with real live people is fun and F1 2016 makes that easier than ever. According to Mather, “Increasing the multiplayer support to 22 players was extremely important to us. We want to be able to fill the whole grid with human players to create those great race moments and stories. It also provides greater support for online leagues.”

F1 2016 is both enjoyable and challenging. While there’s nothing wrong with using a controller, a racing wheel would make gameplay infinitely better. Still it’s a good-looking game and tons of fun for casuals or hard core racing game fans. To that end, we’re thrilled to do more than just tell you about the game, My Life at Speeders. We’re giving away F1 2016 (North America region) console keys for free. Enter to win three for the Xbox One and three for the PlayStation 4. That’s six in total!

]]>Ferrari is Ready for Road Americahttp://mylifeatspeed.com/ferrari-is-ready-for-road-america/
Tue, 02 Aug 2016 21:46:28 +0000http://mylifeatspeed.com/?p=52436Our friends at Ferrari are having a pretty good year in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. They’re ten points behind Audi on the GTD Manufacturers Standings. Simultaneously, Scuderia Corsa’s Christina Nielsen and Alessandro Balzan are currently the top duo in that class. Risi Competizione narrowly missed a podium at the Northeast Grand Prix, but Giancarlo […]

]]>Our friends at Ferrari are having a pretty good year in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. They’re ten points behind Audi on the GTD Manufacturers Standings. Simultaneously, Scuderia Corsa’s Christina Nielsen and Alessandro Balzan are currently the top duo in that class. Risi Competizione narrowly missed a podium at the Northeast Grand Prix, but Giancarlo Fisichella and Toni Vilander are still in the top five of GTLM drivers. We are so excited for this weekend’s Continental Tire Road Race Showcase.

IMSA Ferraris Take On Road America

August 2, 2016 (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.) – Road America is one of the favorite circuits of the Ferrari drivers in the IMSA SportsCar Championship. A fixture on the North American sports car calendar since it first opened in 1955, it’s combination of high speed corners, technical corners, long straightaways and elevation changes make it a true test of driver and car.

This weekend’s IMSA race marks the first time that the turbocharged Ferrari 488 will compete at Road America. Risi Competizione has delivered Ferrari to victory at Road America on three occasions – in 2007 with the Ferrari F430, and in 2011 and 2014 with the Ferrari 458 Italia. Drivers of the no. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE, Giancarlo Fisichella and Toni Vilander, will look to repeat the same kind of performance they had at the previous race at Lime Rock where they led the GTLeMans class throughout the contest.

In the GT-Daytona class, the drivers of the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GT3, Alessandro Balzan and Christina Nielsen, lead the championship with four races remaining in the season. Their championship lead was reduced after the previous race at Lime Rock, when Nielsen was the victim of contact and repairs put the car well down the order. However, they hold a 13-point lead in the championship with two wins and two additional podiums this season.

The IMSA Northeast Grand Prix was shown live on Saturday, July 23 at 3:00 PM ET on FOX. Qualifying was streamed live on Friday, July 22 at 4:25 PM ET on IMSA.tv. Here are IMSA’s official YouTube videos in case you missed them:

2016 IMSA WeatherTech Northeast Grand Prix Qualifying

2016 IMSA WeatherTech Northeast Grand Prix Broadcast

]]>Xtreme Xperience Kick Off Event At NOLAhttp://mylifeatspeed.com/xtreme-xperience-kick-off-event-at-nola/
http://mylifeatspeed.com/xtreme-xperience-kick-off-event-at-nola/#commentsWed, 13 Apr 2016 07:31:31 +0000http://mylifeatspeed.com/?p=50921Xtreme Xperience Kick Off Event At NOLA The event started off with rain. But when rain is measured in feet rather than inches, you have to some times reschedule. And unfortunately that was the case for the original kick off event date planned in March. Fast forward to April 1st and it seemed like a bit […]

The event started off with rain. But when rain is measured in feet rather than inches, you have to some times reschedule. And unfortunately that was the case for the original kick off event date planned in March. Fast forward to April 1st and it seemed like a bit of deja vu.

I arrived the Thursday before the rescheduled kick off event and the clouds were ominous. Forecast was calling for more rain and thunderstorms. It figures. Up until this point, the weather had been relatively dry and sunny for weeks. Talking with Nola Motorsports Park’s Director of Operations, Scott Foremaster, everyone was diligently watching the weather predictions for the next 24 hours.

“It was supposed to rain today and it has held off so far.” said Scott. “We are hoping that most of the rain happens during the night.”

Me too.

Sadly, that wasn’t the case. But weather be damned, the show went on! I met up with the Xtreme Xperience crew prior to the grand opening on April 1. They showed me around the new HQ they built for the cars and staff that would be calling Nola their home from now on. Mark Olalde, Director of Operations for the New Orleans location, along with Alyssa Marie, Communications Coordinator, and Christian “Mental” Ward, Chief Driving Instructor, would make up the staff whom would be staying full time at the NOLA location.

Left to right, Christian “Mental” Ward, Mark Olalde and Alyssa Marie.

When I asked Adam Olalde , CEO of Xtreme Xperience, about the main differences between how this venue would be in comparison to the original Xtreme Xperience (the program that is on the road going from racetrack to racetrack around the country with their fleet of supercars). He responded that it gave them a chance to slow down and enjoy the other side of being a car enthusiast. There is much more one on one time with the client. Both before and after the driving event, which is the main attraction, the clients can come up into the loft sitting area, talk shop, and relax. Enjoying the comradery amongst our fellow enthusiasts. Something that the normal tour doesn’t always allow for due to time constraints and obligations.

Here they have the luxury of always being in the same location for people to come to them and still enjoy driving one of four different supercars either on the main track in a 1.8 mile configuration or on the Sprint Circuit, a custom 0.6 mile course configured right next to their HQ.

Guests hang out in the newly built loft area of Xtreme Xperiences new HQ at NOLA.

The rain held off for most of the morning, but as the clouds darkened, the decision was made to move the cars over to the main tent before the celebrations, and the rain, started. Everyone arrived and mingled about as the steady drum of rain could be heard on the covered paddock area, with an ever increasing tempo. A short while later, speeches were made from Adam Olalde, CEO of Xtreme Xperience, as well as several people from NOLA, including owner Laney Chouest. See the video below for details.

Not long after the last speech was made, the official opening of Xtreme Xperience and the ribbon cutting ceremony took place. Then in full New Orleans style the sounds of the Treme Brass Band filled the air and the dancing commenced. Everyone seemed a little more relaxed now that the official opening was over and worrying about the weather seemed futile. All four supercars were on display and free for people to get inside, start up, and give a few revs. Everyone seemed eager to oblige. After all, it’s not every day people get to sit in a six figure car. Some costing more than an average home.

Left to Right, CEO of NOLA, Frank Christian, Mike Yenni, Jefferson Parish President, Adam Olalde, CEO of Xtreme Xperience and Laney Chouest, Owner of NOLA Motorsports ParkCelebrations took place shortly after the ribbon cutting.Joe Moore, CMO of Xtreme Xperience takes a photo of Adam and himself during the celebrations as the Treme Brass Band plays in the background.

The rain seemed to be playing mind games with us. Lessening to the point of raising our hopes for a clear afternoon. To the extent that the maintenance crew were out cleaning up any standing water that had collected on course. It seemed we may yet get a chance to get behind the wheel of one of these supercars. One look at the radar soon crushed those hopes. One saving grace though was we were able to go out for hot laps in the rain. We didn’t know how many times we would be able to go out with the incoming cells of rain so we tried to get as many laps in as many cars as we could.

The Porsche GT3 peaks out from beneath the covered paddock area, longing to be back out on course, weather be damned.

I was able to go out in three of the four cars. The Porsche GT3, Ferrari 458 italia, and the Nissan GTR. Now, the Nissan had amazing grip, to be expected with all wheel drive as well as a very advanced traction control system. What really surprised me was how much mechanical grip both the GT3 and 458 had. Especially with the amount of rain that was now coming down. It was to the point that I could physically see the puddles growing larger in between each lap.

It was at this point that I decided I better grab my camera and get some photos before they stop running the cars all together. I had the privilege of being chauffeured around the course in the Ferrari. Even though it was a deluge, things could be worse.

Just a little bit of moisture..Rooster tails always make for good photosA time to reflect

As the weather continued, the day’s activities began to wind down. People went their separate ways, but Xtreme made it known to me that they were beyond disappointed to have me come all this way and be unable to drive some of their cars. Looking at the forecast on Saturday, it was scheduled to be a beautiful sunny day. They offered for me to come back and drive some of their cars on the Sprint Circuit. (As the main track was rented out that particular weekend to a bike racing event.) I was more than happy to agree. The Sprint Circuit looked like a lot of fun.

The next morning left me waking up early. My flight was later in the afternoon and I wanted to get the most out of the time I had prior to boarding that plane. Plus, I have a 18 month old at home that doesn’t like to sleep more than a couple hours consecutively at a time, so the full, uninterrupted nights rest left we wide awake at the crack of dawn to say the least.

I made my way down to the Sprint Circuit but they were still getting things ready and I didn’t want to rush them, so I continued over to the control tower per Scott Foremaster’s suggestion to watch some of the qualifying for WERA motorcycle road racing event.

As the bikes ripped by on the front straight I received a call from Christian, aka”Mental” to his friends and colleagues. They were ready and I could head over when ever.

Christian on the Porsche and Mark on the Ferrari pose for a photo outside their new HQ at NOLA

I make it over to the Spring Circuit and find Christian finishing up placing some final cones that had blown around from yesterdays storm. I hop into his Mercedes and he shows me a lap for reference. We go back and grab the Ferrari 458. I have Christian do a few laps so I can get some photos of the car on course. I later do the same for the GT3. This also gives me a chance to see a little more of the track set up and orientation.

Then it is my turn behind the wheel in Ferrari. This is my first time driving a Ferrari of any sort. First impressions is the engine loves to sing and the transmission is on point. There was no manual shifting on the paddles as there was no need. The shifting algorithms were so good I never doubted it would downshift at the correct time. Handling is good, but it is not something I can fully appreciate in only a few laps. The car’s dynamics become more apparent with each consecutive lap. I am enjoying myself most thoroughly. Even if we were given the chance to go on course yesterday in the rain, we wouldn’t of been able to really experience what the cars were capable of. This was much better.

Next was the Porsche GT3. Now this car immediately felt more familiar. More at home. I felt more confident and predictable in the Porsche. And the brakes. Oh so good. And for not being on the course before, Christian was very good at getting the most out of each lap and fine tuning the areas where I could improve. I know a lot of people are in love with the Ferrari but my preference, hands down, was the Porsche. Don’t get me wrong, they are both very capable and engaging drives, but the Porsche just felt more natural to me. It could be I am more familiar with them than, say, the Ferrari. But what you want to feel when driving a car, especially at speed, is confidence. The more confident you are, the faster you will be and the more fun you will have. You gain confidence by predictability and feedback. Both things the Porsche has in spades. The Ferrari is very good as well, but I just didn’t have the same level of confidence in the Ferrari. Considering that the Ferrari 458 italia was the bench mark for supercars for some time and the fact that manufacturers seem to keep raising the bar so quickly, to almost unprecedented levels for street cars, is simply amazing. A true testament to how far technology has come in a relatively short amount of time. This is where the trickle down effect from these companies motorsports programs really helps.

Life could be much worse when you are trying to explain the minor differences between to icons of the automotive world.

I know, first world problems.

All and all it was a great time. I want to take a moment and thank everyone at NOLA Motorsports Park, as well as Xtreme Xperience. I know this wasn’t the kick off event you were looking for, but you all were so accommodating and helpful in making this an enjoyable event. I was assured many times that it doesn’t always rain like this in New Orleans. But that is the nice thing about being able to drive a supercar with Xtreme at NOLA. It is no longer only a couple days of the year. You can now go almost any day of the week. So if you needed or wanted to reschedule, it’s not that big a deal to do so. I’m looking forward to what the future holds for both these companies. Do yourself a favor and check them out.

]]>http://mylifeatspeed.com/xtreme-xperience-kick-off-event-at-nola/feed/1Drifting a Ferrari F40 in Snow Up To Base Camphttp://mylifeatspeed.com/drifting-a-ferrari-f40-in-snow-up-to-base-camp/
Thu, 31 Mar 2016 18:29:15 +0000http://mylifeatspeed.com/?p=50850Who says you can’t drive your supercar in rugged winter conditions? A specially modified Ferrari F40 charges up the snowy slopes, sliding sideways all the way to base camp in this short film, “A Day In The Life”.

Who says you can’t drive your supercar in rugged winter conditions? A specially modified Ferrari F40 charges up the snowy slopes, sliding sideways all the way to base camp in this short film, “A Day In The Life”.

]]>Happy Birthday Steve McQueenhttp://mylifeatspeed.com/happy-birthday-steve-mcqueen-2/
Fri, 25 Mar 2016 01:54:39 +0000http://mylifeatspeed.com/?p=50747“A lot of people go through life doing things badly. Racing’s important to men [and women] who do it well. When you’re racing, it’s life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting.”- Steve McQueen He would’ve been 86 years old.

“A lot of people go through life doing things badly. Racing’s important to men [and women] who do it well. When you’re racing, it’s life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting.”- Steve McQueen

]]>I Wasn’t Ready for the Amelia Island Concours D’elegancehttp://mylifeatspeed.com/i-wasnt-ready-for-the-amelia-island-concours-delegance/
Wed, 23 Mar 2016 22:56:51 +0000http://mylifeatspeed.com/?p=50720Photos and Guest Post By: Mike Miessler I Wasn’t Ready for the Amelia Island Concours D’elegance Since starting my personal blog a couple months ago I told myself that I’d use it to help me check off some items from my personal bucket list. I do admit that going to Amelia Island to cover the concourse […]

I Wasn’t Ready for the Amelia Island Concours D’elegance

Since starting my personal blog a couple months ago I told myself that I’d use it to help me check off some items from my personal bucket list. I do admit that going to Amelia Island to cover the concourse show and reporting on how the other half lives is a stretch, but I wanted to share this iconic event with you guys, beaters or no beaters. I have been processing everything I saw for the last several days and nights and the one thing that I took away from this was just how unprepared I was for the weekend. I was completely overwhelmed by the event, the setting, the people and the cars.

The Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance has been around since 1996 and has been held at the Ritz-Carlton Resort in Amelia Island Florida ever since. It has become one of the premier rare and luxury car shows in the United States second only to Pebble Beach. I had gotten excited about going this year when I heard a report that Jerry Seinfeld would be auctioning off some of his rare Porsche’s. I pulled some strings, called begged some friends and eventually was able to raise the funds to buy a ticket and go for the Sunday show (I missed the auctions where a 1961 Ferrari 250GT California SWB sold for $17m and an old Beetle sold for $120k!).

After wondering how I could spin this into something you all would like to read about, one of our followers gave me the idea to use #notsobeaterlife while I flooded our Instagram account with up-to-date pictures of what we were seeing at the event. Maybe next year we’ll see about live streaming video which, as it turns out, would’ve been easier. I knew I’d be seeing better than museum quality examples of the finest automobiles ever made, you expect that. The sheer quantity and quality of vehicles present, though, was dumbfounding. Once through the gate, the first display was a Lamborghini celebration of the Miura. Six of the best examples, including chassis #4846 of what is arguably Lambo’s most beautiful car just siting there with matching Italian booth girls ready and posing for my pictures. It was like diving headfirst into cold water. I was shocked, I couldn’t breathe, and I stood motionless for a second.

The shock and awe kept going for the whole of the 7 hours we were there. One rarity after another, rare Mercedes pre-war race cars, MG’s, A TALBOT-LAGO T26C! and Rolls’, Bugattis, and Bentleys all over the place. After a while you build up a tolerance to such beauty. I’m not saying that I stopped appreciating them, but after a while it was just work looking at them through my camera. It wouldn’t hit me until later in the morning while admiring some of the most pristine Packards in the country I overheard a conversation an owner had with the class judge. “This is only one of six cars with this coachwork done the we know to exist…in the world.“

There I go again. Back to reality. In a true Wayne’s World moment I was instantly unworthy to be walking around the fairway that held such iconic machines. I was sharing a fairway with Jochen Mass for Pete’s sake! Making my way through the Rolls Royce line up was humbling. This clearly was a “No Peasants Allowed” area. Limousines and coaches for former statesmen all lined up and glimmering in the light with window curtains drawn open displaying their rich leather interiors. Their owners scoffing a the Alfa Romeo display just behind their precious coaches and overshadowed by the Bugatti’s across the aisle.

“This is only one of six cars with this coachwork done the we know to exist…in the world.“

To complete the comparison the event organizers lined up the American luxury sedans next to the best that Britain has to offer, with old Caddys, Oldsmobiles and a plethora of Deusenbergs flexing their biceps at the Brits. It easy to forget how great American luxury sedans were back then and how competently they stacked up against what the world was offering. We’re only now seeing a resurgence in American luxury autos. Cadillac has stepped up their game from high end Chevy’s to true world super sedan contenders.

Everything at the show was perfect. I still find it weird that I became so desensitized to what I was seeing. In any other setting just one of the cars at the show, any one of the Pegaso’s, any one of the Astons, Allards, or even the MG’s would’ve held my astonishment for hours. Here, though, it was a different story. They were just another rare car. Much like after being in a museum, that priceless sarcophagus is amazing the first time you see it, but after the 3rd walk-through it becomes just another artifact. Don’t get me wrong. I still appreciated them and their significance, but my attitude shifted from “Oh wow!” to”Oh, wow.”

The day ended with the reveal of Best in Show, which turned out to be a yellow 1952 Pegaso Z-102 Cupola & 1930 Rolls Royce Phantom II. There was airborne champagne, lots of pictures and very excited and proud rich people. So, it was pretty great. I had to rush over to the showing stage to get the few pictures I could of the show winners. This was the first time I felt like a photographer. Surrounded by press passes and elbows, I wrestled my way through the crowd and grabbed a few quickies of the now ribbon laden grills of both cars.

I was unprepared. I thought I knew what I was going to experience, but much like the first time you visit the Smithsonian Institution’s museums, you walk away trying to understand and process things you’ve only seen pictures of and read about; things that have now become reality. The Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance is like a zoo that only cares for endangered and near extinct species. I don’t think you can ever be prepared for a place as special as that.

]]>The Coveted V8 Engine and What Makes It so Specialhttp://mylifeatspeed.com/the-coveted-v8-engine-and-what-makes-it-so-special/
Fri, 11 Mar 2016 13:05:59 +0000http://mylifeatspeed.com/?p=50382In this week’s installment of the Human Element, we will be discussing the allure of the V8 engine despite the fact that there are more efficient and practical applications out there. Because after all, no one ever reminisces about that time they had a mediocre driving experience. There are three key elements that set the […]

]]>In this week’s installment of the Human Element, we will be discussing the allure of the V8 engine despite the fact that there are more efficient and practical applications out there. Because after all, no one ever reminisces about that time they had a mediocre driving experience.

There are three key elements that set the V8 engine apart.

The sound.

The power.

And the delivery.

While there are force induction versions of the V8, I am going to mainly focus on the naturally aspirated variants in this article.

Photo courtesy of Ferrari. The power plant of the 458 Italia.

The Sound

I think most all of us can agree that the V8 engine is one of the best sounding engine designs in existence. Whether you prefer the high revving acoustics of a Ferrari, or the low, throaty rumble of some old American muscle, it’s just intoxicating. You can pick that sound out amongst the crowd and it invokes a most primal response. Something that makes you stand up and take notice.

Now all the 4 cylinder guys out there are going to become a little butt hurt on this next statement, but it’s simply true. Four cylinder engines do not sound good. They just don’t. They all relatively sound the same with a few exceptions like the boxer engine. But while, in comparison it may sound different, it does mean it sounds good. Yes, they can make good power and can be more efficient with power per liter… Ssssssssshhh. That’s not what we are talking about here. Accept it and read on.

There’s no other engine out there that has the versatility in sound like the V8. You can find some one in all walks of car life that can associate a good V8 engine bellow with a fond memory of some prior blissful motoring experience of the past. A couple for me are when the Corvettes used to come driving by at wide open throttle during an ALMS race and you could literally feel the reverberations in your chest with each stroke of that marvelous engine. Or the raspy crackle of the Aston Martin off throttle. Or the moment a top fuel dragster goes from idle to wide open throttle and you see, hear, and feel the heat wave coming from the exhaust, pointed defiantly towards the race gods, as it rips the very fabric of space and time with each hellish belch into the atmosphere, all while streaking off in to the distance seemingly defying physics. For nothing that fast could be anything short of jumping through a worm hole to cover that much distance in such a short amount of time.

You can’t help but smile and embrace the urge to hear and feel that primal response to something so special on a more frequent basis. Now that the hook is set, you are lured to the source of all that blissful motor cacophony and feel the need to experience it in some form for yourself.

The Power

Generally speaking, V8’s make decent power in their natural aspirated state. Everyone gets caught up in horsepower figures, but what really matters and what you feel most with these engines are the torque. Torque is generally a V8’s bread and butter. It’s that initial response you get which sets you back in the seat when you mash the pedal into the floorboard. The horsepower just carries it through. The torque is what sets those lips to cracking a smile and the horsepower finishes it off with a grin. Nowadays, 300 horsepower in a V8 is considered below average. Not too long ago, that was respectable power for a V8. Now, the new norm for most V8’s is 400 or more horsepower with matching or close torque levels. You have variants that put out over 500 hp from the factory in a Mustang, naturally aspirated. Or the Corvette Z06 with 650 hp and 650 ft lbs. Lets not forget the Hellcat with 707 hp. And all these with a warranty. And if you start to look at the aftermarket, over 1,000 hp is not unheard of. What the hell are you going to do with all that power? It’s pointless, but at the same time, impressive. After all, we are talking about the human element and that includes our attraction to irrational wants and thoughts.

The Delivery

This subject could go on for a very long time but I will try to keep it short and concise. You have three main power delivery applications. Natural aspirated (NA), supercharged, and turbocharged. All with their pros and cons.

Turbocharged engines are by far the easiest way to make gobs of power. While a factory turbocharged engine is generally out of most peoples league cost wise, they provide the best option of power delivery and modulation of that power. I tend to focus my driving on road courses and generally twisty fun roads. Turbos on a V8 can be down right scary in that application, because of the amount of power they can deliver, in addition to the way the power is delivered, especially in an aftermarket scenario. It’s much more manageable in a straight line application unless you have a lot of suspension work and throttle control. The urge to go wide open throttle on a turbocharged V8 off apex of a turn is not always a smart idea. Because once that boost hits, you better know what you’re doing. In a straight line, it is more manageable. I can see the addiction, but it’s short lived for me. I don’t like to live my life a quarter mile at a time. While turbocharged engine have come a long, long way since their inception, compared to the other two options, they are still a on-off switch with power delivery.

This brings us to superchargers, which are generally thought of as a fair compromise between a turbocharged and a naturally aspirated engine. Superchargers are a good bang for your buck way of making a lot of power and is less complicated than a turbocharged set up. The power delivery is more predictable and linear than most turbo setups, therefore giving you similar power levels of a turbo application with the driving characteristics of a really good NA engine. Downsides are heatsoak and for some, the whine produced by the supercharger. (The latter is subjective though.) With heatsoak, it really depends on your application, where in a hot climate and driving on a road course, it becomes more prominent. With both the turbo and supercharger, you lose some of that V8 sound due to the forced induction. Not a bad fit, but overall, still not quite the same as a NA engine.

Natural Aspirated engines are by far my preferred application. When you consider all that we have talked about above, the power, the delivery, the sound, you get the pinnacle of all those aspects of a V8 in a really good NA engine. Plus the responsiveness of a NA engine is unparalleled. That’s the bond that holds all these things together and exemplifies all the key factors in the best way possible. To me, a good naturally aspirated V8 transposes the human element into that piece of driving nirvana. When you can feel the difference between 1/3 throttle and 3/4 throttle and every variation in-between. Where the engine responds in kind with the roll on to wide open throttle, all the way through the rpm range until you have to lift to either slow down or shift. Then, back on the throttle and the response is instant. Correlating directly with the exact amount of throttle input from your right foot, is the amount of power being put down to the wheels with the decibel level exiting in the exhaust. Whether its the high revving 8000+ redline or the heart wrenching torque monster, the primal response is the same. Absolute joy. And a good naturally aspirated engine will do this again and again, lap after lap, without complaint. However, at the end of the day, regardless if you choose forced induction or naturally aspirated, driver enjoyment is what it is all about.

Photo courtesy of Chevrolet. Their engine line up for the Camaro. Left to right. The LT1 V8, the 3.6l V6, and their new 2.0L Turbo 4 Cylinder

Here in lies the problem with our modern world. The V8, in practical terms, is archaic and unnecessary due to tighter emission regulations, fuel efficiency requirements, and engine application advancements. The V8 is up against the wall with pressure from governments around the world, as well as technological advancements with engines in general. Forced induction is becoming the norm on most engines. Hell, a turbo four cylinder is commonly making well over 200 hp and higher variants are pushing or exceeding the 300 hp mark from the factory. V8’s are being replaced by turbocharged or supercharged V6’s in almost every car line up where it was previously available. The arguments are they make the same power as the old V8’s and are more efficient, both in power and fuel economy. This is all rational thinking for a problem that most irrational enthusiasts never asked for a resolution on.

Photo courtesy of Audi. The 4.2L V8 FSI.

As the pendulum swings with the industry demands, we are left with two trains of thought on the matter. The people that continue to use the V8 engine, are left to gimmicky add-ons to help with fuel efficiency like cylinder shutdown under a light, steady throttle or engine start and stop when in traffic to help conserve on fuel and emission output. The other train of thought is to go the complete opposite end of the spectrum and go all out with the V8. For the European market as well as the Japanese to a lesser extent, they have only offered the V8 in very high end, expensive models. And in the lesser models that used to offer the V8, you now get the turbocharged or supercharged V6 variant. This kind of goes along the same train of thought for my previous article on the manual vs dual clutch transmission argument. The sense of engagement/fufillment vs pragmatism.

The bottom line is the V8 is becoming less and less available. While I don’t think it will go away completely, I do think it will eventually become an out of reach option for most car enthusiasts on a sensible budget. Where the allure and emotional attraction of a good V8 will be weighed against the more practical V6 or even turbo four cylinder option that can get you 90% of the power needs you are looking for. But damn it! It’s not always about which is the faster engine or makes the most power or which is more of an efficient design. It’s about what makes you want to drive a little further or what puts that smile on your face more often. I have a TDI Golf that gets excellent fuel mileage and is fairly fun to drive, but I find myself more often than not driving my V8 powered LR4 simply because the engine is so much fun. Even if it is in a tank of a vehicle and gets less than half the fuel mileage of my Golf.

Moral of the story is get your V8’s while you can. As technology advances and regulations tighten, the V8 driver’s car will become more scarce and less affordable. It will become a commodity that will go from the masses to the niche as autonomous cars, hybrids, and cars in general become more about creature comforts and just getting from point A to point B, with less on the actual experience.

It used to be a German car was the go to for a driver’s car. The American’s made a car that went fast in a straight line but you suffered in the corners, braking, and general build quality. That isn’t the case anymore. When you go from a benchmark like the BMW M3 being, for the most part, affordable and the definition of a drivers car, to what they offer now, it’s a far cry from what you used to expect. Not to mention the bloated price tag associated with a new well equipped M3, you’re talking over $75,000! M4? It goes way up from there!

Photo courtesy of Ford. The 5.2L flatplaned crank V8 named “Voodoo”

Speaking of that pendulum, it has swung back and the American car manufactures have answered with affordable V8 driver’s cars. In my next Human Element article, I will talk about the shift from German cars to American cars for the go-to driver’s car experience. And this is coming from a diehard German car guy!

]]>The Coveted V8 Engine and What Makes It So Great.http://mylifeatspeed.com/the-coveted-v8-engine-and-what-makes-it-so-great/
Thu, 18 Feb 2016 00:29:15 +0000http://mylifeatspeed.com/?p=50379the human element: the V8 engine the sound the power the variants the impracticality of it all the technology differences the balance economy (4 cylinder modes) the environmental implications sense of emotional connection and logical disconnect the future of the V8 why i want one segway into the americans vs germans performance cars

]]>A New Season – A New Series – A New Carhttp://mylifeatspeed.com/a-new-season-a-new-series-a-new-car/
Wed, 03 Feb 2016 14:00:09 +0000http://mylifeatspeed.com/?p=50151Switching manufactures can be quite a learning experience – switching manufactures AND series is an entirely new world. After being crowned the 2015 Continental Tire SportsCar Series Champions, this is exactly what Stevenson Motorsports did during the off-season. With ties to General Motors for nearly 10 years, the decision was not taken lightly, however, and […]

]]>Switching manufactures can be quite a learning experience – switching manufactures AND series is an entirely new world. After being crowned the 2015 Continental Tire SportsCar Series Champions, this is exactly what Stevenson Motorsports did during the off-season.

With ties to General Motors for nearly 10 years, the decision was not taken lightly, however, and was based on the fact that GM was between bodies on the Camaro. The idea of running the championship cars once again was not even a thought in the minds of Jon and Susan Stevenson; bigger and better was the direction they had intended.

In late fall, a deal was being done behind closed doors to move in a direction that would secure Stevenson Motorsports a spot in the premier endurance racing series in North America, The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

After securing a customer package with Audi North America, a pair of Audi R8LMS were ordered and arrived in late 2015. With such a change from their GM roots and existing knowledge base, the organization would be forced to hit the ground running and learn whatever they could about these two cars with only a few weeks between delivery and their first on track test session, The Roar before the 24.

Mike Johnson, Team Manager, explained the driver arrangements for the event. “All of our drivers return from the 2015 Camaro program, following Daytona the 6 will be rewrapped to match the 9, Matt Bell and Lawson Aschenbach will drive together for the remainder of the year, while Robin Liddell and Andrew Davis pilot the 6. We are very happy to have Dion Von Moltke, Boris Said, Tristan Vautier and Kenny Habul for the 24, they bring an extensive amount of experience and we are thrilled to have them as part of the team.”

Following a successful test in early January, here we stand, the 54th running of the historic, Rolex 24hr of Daytona. After the long hours of preparation, it was finally time to show the world that Stevenson Motorsports was here to compete and win.

A rain soaked track met drivers as they prepared for practice to kicked off Thursday morning. With minimal seat time in their new machines, this was drivers’ opportunity to become acclimated to their new machines. “We have only what we learned from the ROAR to go off of – the Audi are incredible – we will become more adjusted the more we drive” Stated driver Lawson Aschenbach.

Following the first two rounds of practice, the team was happy with the results. Johnson stated, “These practices are less about lap times and more about getting the drivers up to speed in the cars. Yes, drivers can work on simulators, but nothing compares to being on track, we are in a good spot and the lap times will only get quicker as we progress towards race day.”

As the third practice progressed, the weather resulted in slow times from the entire field as rain fell across nearly all of Florida. Although there was zero rain forecasted for race day, it was necessary to run these sessions to allow for drivers to learn the track and obtain a better understanding of the Audi’s capabilities.

As qualifying began, the skies opened and rain fell heavier than any other outing. It was a session filled with skids and offs from a number of competitors. Once again the GTLM and GTD cars posted the fastest times of the session, with the No. 6 claiming 15th, an unfortunate power steering failure required the team to pull the gearbox, thus causing the No. 9 to miss qualifying by a mere 5 seconds. Following qualifying Johnson stated,

“Today didn’t go quite as we had planned or hoped, we know we have fast cars in the dry and we know we have good drivers, so we are just going to keep working and moving forward.”

With a 24hr event, it is required that Silver and Bronze rated drivers participate in a mandatory night practice session. As moderate rain fell, the GTLM and GTD cars posted the fastest times of the session, with the No. 6and No. 9 Stevenson Motorsport Audi claiming the 7th and 10th quickest times respectively.

Friday morning, teams arrived to something entirely new – sunshine. This was a welcomed change and provided drivers the opportunity to experience the track in dry weather conditions, which would be the forecasted conditions for the race the following day.

Race Day

When one arrives to the hallowed Daytona International Speedway the morning of the Rolex 24, there is a euphoric sensation in the air. It may be the history that has been written over the past 54 years or it may be the smell of barbeque pits in the air. Perhaps it’s a feeling that you are about to witness history being made.

As teams unload and prepare their chariots for battle while fans of all ages flock to the paddocks in hopes of obtaining a glimpse of their favorite team or driver. Fire breathing machines of speed sit dormant in their garages, waiting to be unleashed. Excitement fills the air as teams and fans enjoy the last few hours before history is written.

The fanfare and celebration prior to the green flag of the Rolex24 is something all race fans should experience in life. As the GTLM, GTD and Prototype Challenge cars are pushed out of their stables and onto the grid, fans pack the pits, patiently awaiting their opportunity to flock to the “ball field” that separates the front stretch of tri-oval and pit lane.

Once the gates are open, a flood of die-hard race fans make their way onto pit lane, lining the ropes while waiting for the celebration to begin. Suddenly, as the music blasts the focus turns from the cars to the main stage sitting on pit road directly in line with flag stand.

As each team is announced, the drivers of each respective car are called out and recognized as they emerge on stage. It is truly a celebration of these drivers and their hard work and determination to get them to this point.

In the distance, the thunderous sound of the SeaBreeze marching band grows as the Prototypes, lead by their drivers are pushed to the grid by their teams of mechanics. Flags of the various nations which represent where the drivers are from wave in the wind, the roar of the crowd as each are introduced gives you Goosebumps in excitement of what is to come.

As fans are herded off the track, the national anthem is sung, and the coast guard participates in the traditional flyover. It’s time for what we are all here to see – 24 hours of non-stop intense endurance racing. As “Mr. Endurance Racing” Alan Mcnish gives those famous words “Drivers Start Your Engines” the eruption of noise is incredible.

With cars beginning to roll off grid, a lone Ferrari of Risi Competione and the Audi R8LMS of Stevenson Motorsports are left stranded. New electronic systems, mandated in all cars, shut off all abilities to start if the on-board battery falls to 90% of full charge.

As the green flag waves, the 54th running of the Rolex 24 is underway and the No. 9 Stevenson Motorsports Audi is still sitting in the pits. After what seems to be an eternity, the team gets the car fired and off it goes, nearly 3 laps down. In terms on a 24-hour race, 3 laps down is no concern, as anything and everything can and usually does happen.

As cars began to spread out, the No. 6 powered its way through the field and up into P2. Through a number of pit stops the team worked to keep their quick pace and although pitting lost them time, they maintained a top 5 position in class for much of the first few hours.

As the sun began to set, teams pushed to keep their pace and remain on the lead lap. Through a number of restarts including one due to the No. 70 Mazda parking itself along the International Horseshoe, the team remained consistent.

With the darkness taking hold, teams began to settle in for the long night ahead.

The glow of headlights, the glimmering strips of colored LED’s lights the road course of Daytona, while the sound of the roaring Chevrolet V8’s, screaming turbo charged engines of BMW and Porsche, and the melodic growl of the Audi V10 filled the night air.

As the night progressed the racing intensified, bumping from other competitors attempting to pass or prevent from being passed, bruised and battered the machines of speed. A tap from behind dislodged the rear bumper of the No. 6 to the point of rubbing the rear tire enough that within only a number of laps a puncture occurred. Losing a lap while pitting under green was not horrible, however a second puncture shortly after, put the No. 6 down an additional 2 laps, as the team worked to reposition the body panel.

Additional cautions throughout the night helped the team regain a lap, allowing the No. 9 to get back on the lead lap and No. 6 to make it back to only 2 laps behind the GTD leaders. As the sun began to peak above the horizon, the team of tire changers, mechanics and engineers took what few minutes they could to get some sleep.

From a tire pillow to sleep while sitting up straight, every moment of time available for rest is a necessity.

Pink, orange, red and violet rays of sunshine lite the Florida sky as we approached the 15th hour of racing.

Working to continue regaining laps in the No. 6, while the No. 9 maintained their position on the lead lap, issues once again arose for the No 6.

Upon pitting in the 18th hour, the No. 6 encountered an issue with the drivers rear wheel becoming welded to the hub, no matter how hard mechanic beat on the wheel, it would not dislodge.

Following a triple stint on this individual tire, the No. 6’s luck continued to run out. With Matt Bell driving, an attempted pass by the No. 02 Chip Ganassi Daytona Prototype took out the right side suspension, as the DP miscalculated its turning around the international horseshoe and caused both cars to spin.

Limping the car back to the paddock, the Stevenson Motorsports mechanics, with help from Audi North America, replaced the broken suspension upright. While working to repair the damage it was time to remove the stuck wheel from the left side of the car. After hammers did nothing but shake the entire car, the final solution of cutting the wheel and then removing the entire brake disc was carried out.

11 minutes total was all it took to get the No. 6 back together and back on track, an incredible display of teamwork and never-give-up attitude. Unfortunately, as a result of their time off track, the No.6 was now 13 laps down from the leaders.

As the race continued, the emphasis switched from push towards the podium to finishing the race and collection of as much data as possible for the future. The No. 9 remained on the lead lap for a good period of time however was unable to compete with the front-runners, who were throwing down their fastest laps.

In the end, it was not mistakes by the team or drivers but attrition and unexpected circumstances that resulted in a less than ideal finishing position. “While the team and drivers did a great job, I’d have to say the race was a disappointment. We have the cars to run up front, but a few set backs eliminated our chances for a great result. From what we saw this weekend, it is going to be a very hard fought championship”, stated Johnson.

As the Stevenson Motorsports Audi crossed the line in 8th and 15th, Matt Bell stated, “The cars are incredible. They are fast and nimble for such a sizable car. This is just the beginning; we will take what we have learned from our first race in the new car and new series and work from there. It’s going to be a great year”

]]>2016 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona Closing Momentshttp://mylifeatspeed.com/2016-rolex-24-hours-of-daytona-closing-moments/
Mon, 01 Feb 2016 06:17:14 +0000http://mylifeatspeed.com/?p=50130The 2016 IMSA season kicked off with the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona International Speedway on January 30th. One would think that a multi-class sports car event that runs for 24 hours would have some calmer spots but not this race. It felt like a sprint from start to finish and featured some great moments […]

]]>The 2016 IMSA season kicked off with the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona International Speedway on January 30th. One would think that a multi-class sports car event that runs for 24 hours would have some calmer spots but not this race. It felt like a sprint from start to finish and featured some great moments that will be remembered by fans for years to come. However the closing moments were the finishing note on a 24 hour long crescendo that started the day before. Enjoy!